Shoe-toe moistening and heating apparatus.



L. E. STOCKER.

SHOE TOE MOISTENING AND HEATING APPARATUS.

' APPLICATIQN FILED FEB. 11. 1916.

1,217,360. Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

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LAWRENCE E. STOCKER, OF SAUGUS, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE-TOE MOISTENING AND HEATING APPARATUS.

Application filed Februaiy 17, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE E. STOCKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Saugus, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sh0eT0e' Moistening and Heating Apparatus, of which the following'is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for use in heating and moistening the toe portion of a boot and shoe upper while on a last, and before said portion is finally conformed to the toe portion of the last.

An apparatus of this character, now in use, comprises a boX having one or more apertures for the reception of the toe portion of a last and the corresponding portion of an unlasted upper supported thereby, and means for supplying the boX with hot vapor which acts to soften and moisten portions of the upper and thus adapt such portions to be pulled over upon and conformed to the toe portion of the last.

My invention relates particularly to apparatus thus characterized provided also with means for radiating dry heat within the box and thus supplying relatively dry heated air to obtain results not obtainable by the use of vapor only as the heating agent.

My invention is embodied in the improvements hereinafter described relating to the vapor-supplying andv distributing means and to the dry heat radiating means, the latter including an electrical heating unit preferably adapted to generate difi'erent degrees of heat. The invention is also embodied in certain improvements in the structure of the boX.

Of the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of an apparatus embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 represents a transverse section of the same; I

Fig. 2 represents "a portion of the brace shown by Fig. 2;

Fig. 3 represents an enlargement of a portion of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 represents a diagram of the electrical connections.

The same reference characters indicate the 1 same or similar parts in all the views.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 78,900.

The box which receives the toe portion by rivets or otherwise to the outer members 12, and separated from the inner mem bers by airspaces 15. The front vertical side, which is provided with one or more toereceiving apertures 16, is preferably made of a single relatively thick and rigid sheet 17 of material which is a non-con ductor of heat, such as asbestos lumber. The bottom-18 of the box may be made of a single lay-er of sheet iron, and a layer 18 of asbestos board. The described construction prevents loss of heat by radiation from the top, ends, and sides of the box, the downward radiation of heat from the bottom beingprevented by the layer 18*.

The non-conducting material of the front side prevents injury by heat to a shoe upper contacting with the margin of an aperture 16 therein. Any suitable means, such as a shelf 20, may be employed tosupport a last and an upper thereon, with their toe portions projecting into an aperture 16.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

I have provided as the vapor-supplying means a conduit 21 forming a part of a pipe line which may communicate with a source of supply of exhaust steam. Said conduit is held by support-s 22 above the top of the box and is provided with nipples 23 extending through the top of the-box, there being a nipple for each aperture 16, located directly over the space occupied by a toe inserted in said aperture.

To diffuse the vapor and prevent the pos sibili'ty of direct contact between the toe and the nipple, I provide the latter with a cushioning filter 25 of soft material, preferably asbestos cloth, applied to the end of the nipple and bound, thereon by a ligature 26, as shown by Fig. 8.

The nipple 23 is preferably relatively near the front side of the box, as shown by Fig. 2., so that a toe located under it is suitably separated from the rear side and from the radiator hereinafter described.

Said radiator as here shown is a sheet metal tube or casing 27 secured at its ends to the ends of the box and extending horizontally along the box near its rear side and bottom, the location of the radiator being such that it is out of the direct path of vapor issuing from the nipple and out of the space occupied by an inserted toe, as indicated by Fig. 2.

Within the radiator 27, and suit-ably in sulated therefrom and from the metal of the box, is an electrical. heating unit in the form of a coil, as shown diagrammatically at 28 in Fig. i. Said unit may be supported at one end by a block 29 of insulating mate rial attached to one end of the box, as shown by Fig. 1, said block covering an aperture in the box end. The radiator shouldbe of liquid-tight construction to prevent short cireuiting of the heating coil by moisture within the box.

The heating unit is connected with a suit able source of electricity, such as a lighting circuit, the connections being such that all, or only a part of the coil 28 may be heated, so that different degrees of heat may be generated, the heat being controlled by means such as two-way switch, the casing 30 and rotary knob 31 of which are. shown in perspective in Fig. 1. The switch may include the terminals 1, 2 and 3 shown by Fig. 4, adapted to be connected in pairs by a movable conductor attached to the knob 31.

When the switch connects the terminals 1 and 3, only a part of the coil 28 is in circuit and a relatively high degree of heat is generated. When the switch connects the ter minals l and 2, all the coil is in circuit, and a lower degree of heat is generated.

An indicator embodied in an incandescent electric lamp is provided, the filament of the lamp being shown at 33.

Said indicator shows whether the heating coil 28 is or is not in circuit, and when it shows that the coil is in circuit, it indicates by different degrees of brilliancy whether all or only a part of the coil is in circuit. W hen the switch is open, that is, when the coil 28 is wholly out of circuit, the lamp is also out of circuit, but when the terminals 1 and 3 are connected, a shunt circuit, bringing only a part of the coil 28 into operation, causes the lamp filament 33 to glow brightly. On the other hand, when terminals 1 and 2 are connected, and the whole of coil 28 is brought into operation, the filament is caused to glow dimly.

It will now be seen that the radiator '10- eated and heated as described induces a current of dry heated air, said current flowing from the radiator upward and forward to the region occupied by the inserted toe and mingling, in that region only, with the vapor supplied by the nipple 23. In other words, the heated dry air increases the temperature of that portion of the box in which the toe is inserted, without evaporating the vapor to any objectionable extent before it has had time to suitably perform its flinction.

It will also be seen that the regulation of the heat of the radiator by the means described enables the heat applied to the work to be varied as may be found desirable. Relatively thin upper leather requires a lower degree of heat than thicker leather. Some operators are able by superior skill and rapid work to safely use a higher degree of heat than could be safely used by slower operators.

In operating on certain kinds of upper leather such as Russian calf, it desirable to use vapor only, the dry heat being discontinued. The electrical heating means employed by me enables the radiator to be quickly made operative and inoperative by manipulating the switch.

The box is preferably provided with a curved or inclined deflector 36 arranged to guide the induced air current toward the forward portion of the box and suitably limit the area of the box affected by the heat.

As here shown, the box is supported by legs 36 above a base 37 which supports the rheostat and the pilot lamp.

A supporting member 89 is preferably provided to prevent the upper from bearing on the lower edge of the aperture 16, said member being preferably a wire rod having eyes formed on the bent ends of the rod and attached by screws a0 to the side piece 17.

The shelf 20 is preferably adjustable, so that it may stand horizontally, or may be inclined either by raising or lowering its outer edge, the object being to properly locate the toe of the upper, and compensate for variations in the form of the last and the shoe thereon, some forms requiring a horizontal shelf, others a shelf which is inclined dmvnwardly from its inner to its outer edge, and others a shelf which is inclined upwardly from its inner to its outer edge.

To this end the shelf is hinged at 42 to the box, and is supported by a brace l3 hinged at 41-4; to the base 37 The outer end of the brace has a loop 45 Fig. 2 forming a slot which receives a threaded stud 46 fixed to the table, and provided with a clamping nut 47 hearing on the under side of the loop. When the nut is tightened it clamps the loop against the table, so that the latter is firmly supported. The length of the slot formed by the loop 45 is such that the table may be supported horizontally, or with its outer edge either raised or lowered, the inclination of the brace varying with each adjustment of the table.

Water of condensation is conducted from the bottom of the box by a drain pipe 49 (Fig. 2).

an electrical heating unit within said radiator, the said vapor supplying means being arranged to direct vapor against a toe inserted in said aperture, and the radiator being arranged to mingle an induced current of dry warm air with the vapor in the region occupied by said toe.

2. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a box having a toe-receiving aperture, and an exhaust steam conduit supported above the box and having a downwardly directed nipple extending through the top of the box, said nipple being provided with a vapor filter of yielding material located above the space occupied by a toe inserted in said opening.

3. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a box having a toe receiving aperture, an exhaust steam conduit supported above the box and having a downwardly directed vapor discharging nipple located above the space occupied by a toe inserted in said opening, and a dry heat radiator located in the box at one side of said space and arranged to induce a currrent of dry warm air in a direction to mingle with the vapor in the region occupied by said toe.

4. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a box having a plurality of metal sides and a non-metallic front side, said side having a toe-receiving opening, means for supplying the box with hot vapor, and a dry heat radiator located in the box out of the direct path of the vapor.

5. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a box having a toe-receiving aperture, an exhaust steam conduit sup ported above the box, and having a downwardly directed nipple the top of the box, a dry heat radiator located in the box out of the direct path of the Copies of this patent may be obtained for extending through vapor, and a deflector arranged to direct an air current induced by said radiator toward the path of the vapor.

6. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a box having a plurality of sides, each composed of spaced-apart outer and inner sheet metal members and lining members of non-conducting material attached to the outer metal member and separated from the inner metal member by an air space, a non-metallic front side having a. toe-receiving opening, and means for supplying the box with heat.

7. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a box having atoe-receiving opening in its front side, means for supplying heat to the box, a support adjustably mounted adjacent to said opening, and adapted to be raised or lowered at its outer edge portion to vary the angle of said support relatively to the front side of the box, and means for holding the support at various angles.

8. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a box having a toe-receiving opening in its front side, means for supplying heat to the box, a support hinged to the front side of the box, so that its outer edge portion may be raised or lowered, and adjustable means for securing said support at various angles relatively to the front of the box.

9. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a box having a toe-receiving opening in its front side, means for supplying heat to the box, a support hinged to the front side of the box, so that its outer edge portion may be raised or lowered, a swinging brace having a slotted outer end bearing on the support, and athreaded stud fixed to the support and extending through the slotted end of the brace, said stud having a clamping nut engaging the brace.

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my signature.

LAWRENCE E. STOCKER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

